Newsletter 01-2006

NOTE FROM MICHAEL SMITH, HONARARY SECRETARY

I am now taking on the combined tasks of Secretary and Webmaster from David Jones and Andrew Gardener respectively and, on behalf of all the members, I wish to thank them for the considerable time and effort that they have given to us all. Thanks to them, the ROA is one of the most active and successful of the various owners associations. Andrew has been Webmaster for seven years and created the website in its present form, following on from a first version by Penny Ward. David has been the Secretary for over fifteen years; really, you could say that he has been the embodiment of the Association.

David would be the first to say that he is not fully-adapted to the electronic age! One reason for combining the roles of Secretary and Webmaster, for a year or two at least, is to try to develop the use of electronic media still further, to enable the ROA to become an even more active and closely-linked community than it is today. To assist me in that, I need two things from you all:

First, I shall welcome all ideas that you may have for enhancing our communications with one another. For example, it will be perfectly possible to distribute the newsletter and even the annual journal, Rival Round-Up, electronically and to post them on the website. The list of members could also be on the website, provided that we create a private, members-only section to protect the data. Perhaps we could even convert the web-based newsletter and Round-Up into sections of the site that can be added to at any time by members, instead of being published at particular intervals.

Secondly, the Association cannot move in this direction unless you are willing to receive electronic communications – and also to ensure that we have your correct email address. Please send me an email to give your current email address and to say either that you are happy to receive electronic communications in future or that you wish to receive written communications. Please do not wait, or you will forget – DO IT NOW!! You can use either secretary@rivalowners.org.uk or michaeljsmith@uk2.net

I look forward to serving our Association in these tasks, for a few years at least. I hope to hand it on eventually in as good a condition as it is now, albeit perhaps in a slightly different form.

Michael

We've had a wonderful cruise down the Red Sea with the Vasco da Gama Rally and are now preparing for the 1080 mile crossing from Salalah (Oman) to Mumbai (India). Once through the Suez canal, we had good sailing winds down the coast of Egypt. There are a number of marinas and many good anchorages to visit, although the bureaucracy can be trying. A visit to Luxor was the highlight of our sight-seeing trips.

The coast of Sudan involves some challenging navigation and pilotage but is well worth the effort. The deep inlets in the coast provide well-sheltered anchorages with fabulous snorkelling opportunities. Stopping at Suakin, rather than Port Sudan, for fuel and water is convenient and the availability of fresh produce was quite good, although more expensive than elsewhere.

The coast of Eritrea, south of the port of Massawa, is also a fascinating cruising ground. The seas are teaming with fish and the birdlife is spectacular. General shortages mean that diesel is not available in Eritrea and only limited supplies, not even bread! However, the people are very friendly and the local beer and Zibid (aniseed based spirit) are really good.

Yemen is another country not to miss if only because the people are so friendly and the food so good. Again the seas are full of fish and even if, like us, you are no good at fishing there are plenty of fishermen happy to trade their morning's catch. We saw no pirates along the coast and conclude that the authorities have reacted to the attacks on yachts of a few years ago.

THE OSPREY VOYAGE – AN EXTENDED DOLPHIN CRUISE

Duncan, our son, and I set off in our R36 ‘Osprey’ (formerly ‘Dawn Arival) from Holyhead on Monday 6 August on a bright, breezy, morning. Over the next three days we called at Dun Laoghaire, Kilmore Quay on the south-east corner of Ireland and Crosshaven where we tied up to a pontoon of the oldest yacht club in the world. We had mainly head winds on the trip south and west with occasional rainsqualls. These intensified accompanied by grey, lumpy seas as we sailed closer to Kinsale as if to remind us what we might experience in the Atlantic. We rested for a few days in Kinsale waiting for the remainder of the crew, Helen, our daughter, and John, a young family friend, to join us. I say 'rested' but I use the word in the Irish sense - in semi-occupation of any pub or hotel selling Beamish or Guinness and putting on live music!

After the others joined ship, we were delayed a couple of days to allow the storm which hit the Fastnet fleet to move east. Tuesday was very wet and windy in Kinsale and as we were to the north of the worst of the weather we had some sympathy with the racing fleet.

Wednesday morning greeted us with sunny intervals and a strong north-west wind, with a forecast suggesting this wind might last a couple of days and give us fair passage towards Spain. We completed the last of our tasks and then motored out of the marina at 12.30 to loud rock music on our stereo (you have to humour the crew) and waved goodbye to new friends on other boats. Once outside the harbour we set a reefed mainsail and rolled out half of our big genoa. We were soon hissing over the waves in bright sunshine. Clear of the shelter of the Old Head of Kinsale, a long, high, promontory to the west of Kinsale, we met the large swell left over from Tuesday's gale overtopped with the new north-westerly swell. Sitting briefly on top of 15-18 foot swells gave us a grand view of the fast receding coastline.

We sailed on at speed into our first night. The motion was not easy but we were able to cook a hot meal and then start our night watches warm and content. We hand steered the first night so everyone could get used to the conditions and become attuned to the boat's motion. During the evening the cloud cleared and we had a magnificent view of the stars and the thin sliver of a new moon. By now we were more than 50 miles out into the Atlantic and well clear of land-based light pollution. Stars on the horizon at sea level were as bright as directly overhead and caused a little confusion at first until we realised they were not the navigation lights of several ships.

The sun rose about 5.30 am and we drove on with the same strong wind and wave conditions. Occasionally the wind increased to force 7 quickly heaping the waves still higher for a time. We put an extra reef in the mainsail to keep the boat well balanced and enjoyed some exhilarating sailing. We were alone all day, not sighting any shipping, whales or dolphins, just a few fulmars gracefully skimming over and around the waves with consummate skill. The evening brought a change in the weather with rain for a time and the wind decreasing and backing into the south west - yes, you guessed right, dead on the nose! However, the waves decreased in size and the first part of the night was pleasant and relatively peaceful. Everyone caught up with sleep and we kept the boat moving south at a good speed. Just before dawn we crossed the halfway point- 250 miles out from Kinsale so we celebrated with a hot coffee. Life at sea becomes focussed on the simple and essential things!

The wind remained in the south west all through Friday and we drove southwards, closehauled with the sheets pinned in tight. We maintained a good speed and climbed easily over the more regular seas. Life below was more comfortable and we were well rested and fed. During the night we crossed the south west shipping lanes and had a number of large ships to steer around so the watchkeepers needed to be alert. Around midnight, one vessel, overtaking and passing safely down our port side, inexplicably altered course and began aiming at our stern. We tacked away from her track for ten minutes or so and then resumed course to pass under her stern - a case of prudence being safer than being right (we had right of way but you do not argue with 20,000 tonnes).

Dawn was a disappointment, low clouds and driving rain with visibility rarely more than a mile or so. This was a concern as we were now crossing the north-east bound shipping so we had three in the cockpit at all times keeping a strained and tense lookout for a couple of hours until the sky cleared. We were close-hauled and still making good speed on track for La Corunna. The weather improved steadily through the morning and then veered to west at a steady 6 knots allowing us to free off and sail fast towards our destination. We disconnected the wind vane and sailed by hand with every helmsman fighting for turns at the wheel and whooping with delight at the sheer exhilaration. The sun shone strongly, the sea was a rippled dark blue with many white crests and by mid afternoon we could make out the high land of the Spanish coast. Twenty miles out we were joined by half a dozen dolphins, which revelled in our speed and repeatedly swam alongside, riding off the pressure wave from our bow. They leaped out of the water, some showing off by cartwheeling in the air before crashing back into the sea. Two spouts 150 metres to our port side revealed the presence of whales but we lost them in the swell and missed a photo opportunity.

The wind and waves eased as we sailed past Cabo Prior in the evening sunshine and we slipped into Ria Betanzos to the north east of La Corunna in the dusk with warm smells of pinewoods to greet us. More spectacularly as we approached the small fishing harbour of Fontan we were entertained by a thirty minute firework display with the finale crashing out as we tied up to a pontoon in the excellent marina. We were greeted by a friendly German couple on the next pontoon who asked solicitously if we had sufficient wine and beer to celebrate our arrival - silly question, really.

We sailed 537 miles by log in just under three and a half days and were delighted with ‘Osprey’s’ sea-keeping abilities.

We explored the coast to the north east of La Corunna, visiting the delightful Ria Cedeira for a couple of days before having another fast sail south to La Corunna in bright sunshine (and more dolphins). We berthed in the marina whilst Helen and John returned to the UK and Pam and Joanne (Duncan's girlfriend) flew out to join us.

After a day showing them the delights of La Corunna, we set off in a strong north easterly breeze with blue sky and bright sunshine. We sailed on a broad reach a couple of miles offshore with a decent swell lifting the stern. We soon left astern the prominent Torre de Hercules lighthouse, built by the Romans, and set course for the Isla Sisorgas, faintly visible in the morning haze. The breeze freshened and we rolled in a third of the genoa to keep the boat balanced and sailing fast. Three hours later we passed the rocky islands in Force 6 gusts with short steep seas giving the helmsman, or woman, a lively time. We were joined by four dolphins that revelled in our sizeable bow wave and played around us for half an hour. We gybed off Punta del Rocundo and headed towards the little harbour of Corme in 32-knot gusts. We wrestled the sails down in the lea of the headland before motoring into the shelter and anchoring in soft white sand just off the little town beach.

The wind blew strongly all night but our new anchor held firm. The following morning we enjoyed breakfast in the cockpit in bright sunshine and a clear blue sky. We set off on a dead run in 20 knots of wind with the big genoa and small staysail set goose-winged, running fast towards the distant headland. We shortened sail as the wind increased and eventually handed the staysail as gusts of 40 knots hurtled us through the big breaking waves. Dolphins joined us again as we raced in brilliant sunshine towards Camarinas. Gybing through the entrance to the ria, we sailed fast across the smooth water towards a rocky headland on the opposite shore to the little town. We anchored off a white sand bay backed by pine clad rocky bluffs and were soon visited by small shoals of inquisitive fish. Peace and quiet descended on the boat as we soaked up the sunshine following our exertions of the last few hours.

The anchorage was so idyllic we stayed two nights, collecting mussels from the rocks for our evening meal, walking through the pinewoods to the next bay, and snorkelling off the beach. We visited the town, a mile away, by dinghy and enjoyed the lively local market and stocked up with supplies.

The wind died away and we had a gentle breeze to assist us out of the Ria on a hot and hazy morning. We sailed for a couple of hours but the breeze gradually fell away until we reluctantly switched on the engine and motored past Cape Finisterre with its famous lighthouse. We entered the Ria Muros and in the late afternoon anchored off the promenade of the town that gave its name to the ria. We explored the little back streets of the old town, admiring the clean stone buildings and mediaeval architecture before finding a quiet square where we enjoyed a few cold beers and an excellent seafood meal.

The windlass strained to lift the anchor and many pounds of glutinous mud the next morning but we were soon underway, setting the main and genoa on a broad reach as we slipped past the entrance to the ria. We held a fresh breeze all morning and enjoyed good sailing at 7 knots over a gentle swell. The wind died after lunch and we drifted slowly along the coast with members of the crew attempting to catch our evening meal. Luck was not with them however and we eventually motored towards the Isla Salvora guarding the entrance to the Ria Arousa. As we closed the island a faint breeze set in which strengthened to a Force three, allowing us to set full sail and beam reach into the ria at four to six knots. The afternoon was beautiful, with warm sunshine and a soft haze, as we slipped past the pretty Isla Rua, with its neat lighthouse, in the middle of the ria. Late afternoon saw us into the marina at Caraminal.

This was a larger town than Muros with a fine sandy beach, an excellent modern fish market, tree-lined avenues, excellent bars and restaurants and a more extensive old town with lovely old buildings. The town was obviously popular with Spanish visitors but was off the main tourist trail so had a more natural atmosphere. We stayed two nights here, appreciating the friendliness of the local people, the good fish from the market and the relaxed ambience of the avenues and pavement cafes.

The third morning dawned misty and cool and we waited until the sun had burnt through before leaving the marina under mainsail and genoa. The wind freed a point or two as we passed Isla Rua so we handed both sails and set the big cruising chute. We broad reached at 5 – 6 knots in a north westerly breeze of 10 knots and soon picked up the hilly peaks of the offshore island of Isla Ons. We anchored in 6 metres off the sandy bay in the north of the island, protected from the swell and went ashore in the dinghy. We walked through the pine and eucalyptus woods and along the cliff track to the small village and pier. Here, we were surprised to find a couple of hundred people waiting for the ferry filling the two small bars with music, singing and noisy chatter. They had spent the weekend on the island attending an end-of-season festival and most looked as if they had celebrated hard and well. After they had all left, we moved the boat down to one of the visitors’ moorings off the pier and enjoyed a night of perfect solitude.

The mist was thick the next morning and there was no wind at all. We waited an hour to allow the sun to break through and as we could see the lighthouse in the centre of the island and various other prominent features, we dropped the mooring and motored out. Barely a mile offshore, we ran into much thicker fogbanks and visibility dropped to a hundred metres or less. We proceeded at slow speed, sounding the foghorn at one-minute intervals and switching the engine off regularly to listen for other engine sounds and boat movements. All four of us were on deck listening and watching anxiously but no other vessel came near us and we proceeded into the Ria Pontevedra without incident. The light grew brighter and as we approached the small marina at Aguete the mist lifted altogether and we tied up to the pontoon in bright sunshine.

The yacht club in Aguete is built in the shape of the bridge of a commercial vessel and has a large, airy, and timber-lined first floor bar with lovely views of the ria. From here we took a taxi to the old Roman town of Pontevedra where we found the ancient squares and buildings somewhat intimidated by the surrounding modern shopping office and apartment blocks. We eventually found a small square with an excellent pavement café serving good quality food and wine. We enjoyed our meal surrounded by lively local people enjoying their al fresco culture. There was much good humour and genial chatter, contrasting markedly to the late-night culture prevalent nowadays in most English towns and cities.

We had a leisurely start the next day and although we attempted to sail the wind fell light again and we motored over to the Isla Cie in bright hazy sunshine and a flat sea. The Isla is hilly with rocky outcrops and several fine sandy beaches. We anchored off the main strand, a crescent of soft white sand backed by small dunes and a lagoon which is fed by seawater from the west side of the island. Small hills and a pinewood back the lagoon itself. To the south, the rocky outcrops looked like the limestone stacks in Thailand. The scene was idyllic and we were soon walking along the beach in the warm shallows and then climbing into the pinewood with fine views of the anchorage. Duncan and Jo decided to spend a night under canvas at the campsite in the pinewoods and were deposited on the beach with their gear in the fading light. A strong night breeze set in and the remaining crew had a slightly uncomfortable night as the boat sheered around the anchor chain and the wind played tunes in the rigging.

Duncan and Jo rejoined the boat the next morning and after a leisurely breakfast, enjoying the idyllic surroundings to the full, we sailed out under full mainsail and poled out genoa, goose-winged. A steady north west breeze carried us up the Ria Vigo, past the QM 2 moored to a jetty and we entered the Marina de Lagoa, sheltering under a high wooded bluff. Here we celebrated Duncan’s birthday with an excellent meal at the well-appointed restaurant on the marina site. This not only served good food and wine but also was a five-minute walk from our pontoon so was highly convenient.

The next day, Duncan and Jo left the boat to pick up a hire car in Vigo and drive to Bayona where Duncan had secretly booked a room for the two of them in the renowned Parador. Pam and Bruce energetically explored the park on the wooded bluff, which is topped with an exquisite small church. Following lunch, we left the marina in a light south west breeze and tacked down the ria. As the mouth of the ria opened out, so the breeze died away and we motored over an oily, calm sea around the offshore rocks and islands and approached Bayona ourselves in the late afternoon. We motored past the Parador with its extensive battlements on a high rocky cliff overlooking the sea, the Isla Cies and the town itself and entered the marina in time for a pre-dinner aperitif.

We explored the fine old town the next morning and walked around the battlements of the Parador before meeting up with Duncan and Jo in time for an excellent last sea food meal in the old town. A grey dawn saw the girls up and packed and we drove up to Santiago in time for the morning flight back to England. Duncan and Bruce drove back in quiet, reflective mood to hand over the car in Vigo and then caught a rural bus to Bayona.

We refuelled the boat, picked up a fresh gas canister and restocked the food from the small local supermarket. We met a young man from Exeter, Trevor, who had set out with little experience, no waterproofs and no charts in an old 19-foot sailing boat. He told us of the vicissitudes of his three and a half day passage from Morgat in Brittany to La Corunna when he was so cold he had to sit in his sleeping bag in the cockpit. He could only reef the mainsail by unscrewing a block of wood, lowering the sail and then screwing back the block. All this while the boat pitched and tossed in a rising wind. His engine was an old single cylinder diesel, which consumed a lot of fuel so he tended to sail without lights to avoid battery drain. We were entertained by his exploits and felt our own trip had been the height of luxury and comfort in comparison.

The first rain for over two weeks fell just after dawn and washed the dust off the decks. There were a few breaks in the cloud as we motored out of the marina on a glassy sea with a long slow swell from the north west which broke heavily on the reef to the south of the Parador. We passed a number of small fishing vessels laying crab or lobster pots. As we progressed south along the coast, each small village appeared to have its own collection of pot dan buoys with their tattered flags and we had to keep a sharp lookout in the hazy light. The wind remained calm all day and we motored steadily on, arriving late afternoon in the marina in Vianna do Costelo across the border in Portugal. The marina staff was friendly and helpful and we were soon enjoying excellent showers. We explored the old town, which has many fine stone buildings and wide streets and avenues. There is a modern funicular to the high bluff on the edge of the town and we took the last train to see the magnificent church perched in a commanding position, overlooking the faithful below. The church is now a museum but unfortunately had closed for the day so we walked among the trees in the grounds before descending for a late evening meal.

During the night there were almost continuous thunderstorms for several hours and lightning was still flickering in the hills behind Viana as we motored out to sea after breakfast. By late morning a slight north west breeze had set in and we set the main and cruising chute. We had difficulty keeping this large sail set properly and had to stand offshore to maintain speed. Eventually, when we were more than four miles off track, the wind died so we handed the chute and started motoring. Within half an hour, a brisk wind had set in again so we set the poled-out genoa goose-winged and enjoyed fast sailing for the next two hours until we entered the large commercial harbour of Leixioes. The marina is tucked away in one corner and as we entered, two helpful employees took our lines and tied us up to the pontoon Portuguese fashion. Whilst Bruce sorted out the paperwork, Duncan quietly sorted out the mess of ropes and soon had us secured in more seamanlike fashion. We spoke briefly to an Irish woman who had grown up in the village in which we lived near Dublin for a while and we exchanged pleasantries about all the people we knew in common.

The town itself was run down and not inspiring. There were few shops within walking distance and we were not able to replenish our fresh foodstuffs. The showers in the marina were good but without ventilation so that the air was hot and rank and it took half an hour to cool down afterwards. It was with little regret that we motored out early the next morning just as the sun was rising and met a sizeable swell despite the absence of wind. The coastline for the next sixty or so miles comprised a long sandy beach backed by low dunes and pine woods with occasional villages or small towns. The morning was fine and we completed a number of small maintenance jobs as we motored south. The slight breeze freshened by lunchtime and we were able to set the main and genoa and sail downwind at up to six knots. We maintained this good progress throughout the bright and sunny afternoon, entering the river at Figueria da Foz at about 1900 hours after a gentle passage of 66 miles. We completed formalities at the reception pontoon and after dinner on board found a bar ashore to watch European Cup football.

A surprise awaited us the next morning – a fresh easterly breeze off the land. The space between the pontoons was very tight and the wind in the wrong direction for our exit. After deliberation, we managed to extricate the boat without damage to others or ourselves and, clear of the harbour entrance, set the main and full genoa on a beam reach at 7 knots. The sea was relatively calm and we enjoyed excellent sailing for a couple of hours before the breeze died and we were forced to motor once more. Eventually, the usual north west wind began to assert itself and we set sail again. We spoke on the radio with a large wooden ketch, which was on passage for Antarctica via the Canaries, West Indies, Panama Canal, and the west coast of South America. Exciting stuff and if we were not enjoying sailing our own boat so much, we would have been sorely tempted to join up as crew then and there.

We sailed over to the Islas Berlenga, a series of red and rocky outcrops five or six miles off the mainland. The main island was very attractive with bright green vegetation contrasting strongly with the ruddy tones of the high cliffs. A small village nestled in the shelter of a deep cut in the centre of the island and we noticed another yacht anchored close in to the cliffs. Looking more closely, we noticed the yacht was swaying significantly to the swell, which was curling round the outer cliffs. The boat was anchored close in because of the depth of the anchorage and we realised that if the wind changed it would be very close to the rocks. We decided it was too risky to anchor ourselves and therefore sailed past the impressive castle protecting the west side of the little bay. Fish were jumping out of the water all round us as we left the island and then heard the first rumble of thunder over the mainland where the skies had darkened considerably. We put on all sail and ran downwind, past the impressive rock cliffs to the west of Perniche and then entered this busy fishing harbour just as a light rain started to fall. The marina was full of small day fishing boats and we tied up on the long outer pontoon, rafted up to another British boat, whose crew kindly took our lines. After a meal on board we explored the small town which was pleasant but unremarkable.

The following morning was calm and sunny and the cliffs along the shoreline were barely visible in the haze as we motored south over a glassy sea, dodging the many danbuoys guarding pots, which were harvesting the rocky seabed. As we approached Cascais at the mouth of the River Tagus, a slight north west breeze set in but it was not enough to encourage us to set sail. We entered the smooth waters of the marina on a very hot afternoon and we were soon ashore under the shades of a marina bar enjoying an ice-cold beer. We caught the train up to Lisbon the next day and explored some of the tourist sites including the Discoverers’ memorial, the Belem Tower, and the large and grand squares in the older part of the city. We lunched in the shade of a tree-lined avenue and strolled through the old quarter before catching the train back to Cascais. For a change we watched World Cup rugby in an Irish Bar in the town. Unfortunately the Ireland team lost but the after-match gloom did not last long and the Irish propensity to make any event an excuse for a party soon reasserted itself.

Our slight hangovers the next morning were soon blown away by a fresh northerly breeze as we broad reached over white-capped blue seas under a perfect blue canopy. An old sail-training schooner, which had left the marina at the same time, set all sail and we watched the curve of its sails as it moved gracefully up river. We altered course for a large merchantman motoring out to sea and then sailed fast towards Cabo Espichel. The wind and seas increased during the afternoon and we revelled in the conditions. We rounded the spectacular cliffs and caves of the cape in the late afternoon and reached along the coast towards the small fishing harbour of Sesimbra. We passed a number of small sandy coves nestling at the foot of the great sand-coloured cliffs and eventually, a mile or two short of the harbour, saw a perfect beach and could not resist anchoring and relaxing in the late afternoon sun. There was one other yacht in the anchorage and peace descended. Ten minutes later, a pleasure launch rounded the headland and as it passed us we heard the excited chatter of its thirty or forty passengers. The boat anchored less than fifty yards away and we feared the worst. However, it turned out to be a family party celebrating a birthday and after an hour of good-humoured banter, some speeches and singing from the older male relatives, the party left in the gathering twilight. The remainder of the night at anchor was peaceful with a full moon shining on the water and the dark cliffs protecting either end of our little bay.

During darkness, another yacht anchored near us and in daylight the next morning we found it to be a Rival 41. We spoke with the young owners who recognised our own boat, having seen it in the River Orwell before they purchased their own. After an extensive refit, largely by their own efforts, they had set off from the East Coast bound for ‘anywhere in the world as long as we have money’. They were aiming to look for work in Gibraltar to raise funds to move further east. The spirit of adventure lives on.

We motored out of the idyllic bay in a flat calm and after a few miles noticed the engine was overheating. After carrying out water-side checks Bruce discovered the fan belt had broken and the spare was fitted. We motored on without further incident except for another visit by dolphins. The water was an exceptionally clear pale blue and the dolphins were highly visible as they swam gracefully around us. As usual, a slight breeze set in as we approached Sines and we sailed the last few miles into the harbour. We tied up in the marina next to our friends Klaus and Ulrike whom we had met in Fontan and they kindly invited us on board their boat for an enjoyable and relaxing meal.

The wind was still light next morning as we motored out but after an hour or so had freshened sufficiently for us to set a full main and poled out genoa. The breeze held steady for most of the day and we made excellent progress south along the coast in company with a Norwegian gaff ketch that had four tan sails set on its two sturdy wooden masts. We were visited by several groups of dolphins, which enjoyed our steady bow wave, as we surged towards the distant headland on the regular swell. As we approached Cabo Sao Vincent (of British sea-battle fame), the wind died and to avoid damage to the sails as they slatted back and forth on the swell, we switched on the engine. An hour later, we neared the sheer cliffs on the Cape and as we rounded close under the impressive lighthouse we were hit by a sudden squall of wind, the anemometer jumping from 6 knots to 28 knots in thirty seconds. We hoisted the full main and rolled out half the genoa in a clatter of flapping sails and thrashing ropes. The boat pitched on the short steep seas suddenly thrown up but we soon settled her close-hauled on course. Her lee-rail was well awash at times as we tore along the coast at sustained speeds around 8 knots. We passed Sagres, where we had intended to anchor for the night, in a welter of foam and continued past the attractive cliffs and white village a couple of miles to windward. As the sun dipped behind the hills, and the cliffs took on a pink hue in the rosy after-light, we could see the Norwegian boat silhouetted against the horizon far behind us. We rounded Punta da Piedade in failing light with a dying wind and motored the last two miles through a pack of small boats out on the water for night fishing. We entered the river mouth in darkness and tied up to the reception pontoon outside the marina. Tired but very happy at completing our journey, we walked round to one of the excellent restaurants on the side of the marina and celebrated our arrival in traditional style.

The next morning we moved Osprey round to her winter berth and were welcomed by several of the liveaboard community. We had sailed a distance of 1469 miles by log since leaving Holyhead. The white buildings, palm trees and hot sun made that small grey North Wales port seem a long way off

Kanaka was owned by Geoff Forge who has bought the hull and then completed below decks, put on a teak deck and did the rigging with help from myself. We set off for a shake down cruise to the Baltic in May 1983 going through the Kiel canal and exiting through Limfjorde. We sailed down the English east coast checking on family as we went. It was October and the weather was bad, so we decided to go through the French canals to the Med. We took the mast down in Le Harve and negotiated the Seine, Yonne, Bourgogne, Sonne and the Rhone, eventually putting the mast up again in Port St Lois. We caught a Mistral going down to Barcelona wherewe spent our first Christmas. The next 2 years were spent in the Med going firstly to unspoilt Turkey, then the Greek Islands and wintering in Salamina. Our most easterly destination was Cyprus so that was the starting point of our circumnavigation. Luckily we passed the Strait of Gibraltar on our first attempt and had a gale force southerly down to the Canary Islands.

The 1^st January saw us on our way towards the Cape Verde islands and we went that way ‘till “the butter started to melt” when we hung a right. Twenty one days later saw us in Barbados. We cruised the Caribbean and the East coast of America spending a lot of time in Charleston SC and going as far north as Annapolis Chesapeake Bay. We visited the Bahamas and eventually left Miami for Puerto Rici in time for Christmas ’87. We cruised the Antilles, spent time in the ABC islands and Venezuela. We kept 100 miles off the Columbian coast on our way to the Panama Canal which we negotiated with the help of two pilots and four line handlers in April ‘89. Twenty two days and 2996 nm was our time and distance from Galapagos to the Marquesas. On to the Tuamotus, Tahiti for the 14^th July, Suwarrow, Tonga and Opua, North Island of New Zealand by November ‘89. Having sailed 5,000+ miles we left Kanaka in Wangarei, bought a car and toured New Zealand by road. We returned north to Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia. We made two visits to Australia and between the visits we went back to New Caledonia and circumnavigated the island. Sydney was our most southerly point in Australia, though we did go to Melbourne by bus. We sailed up the Great Barrier Reef and Darwin was our jumping off point for Taninbar in Indonesia. Having sailed the Banda Sea, north coast of Flores we left Bali for Singapore in October ’92 and traversed the Malacca Strait three times without incident and had an enjoyable cruise of Malaysia and Thailand. In January ’94 we left Phuket for a 15 day passage to the Maldives and another 20 days to Aden. Traversing the Red Sea was taken slowly - very slowly. We visited Suakin and many Maras. Prince of the Red Sea was our agent for the Suez Canal. We arrived back in Cyprus in May ’94.

From Cyprus to England we went again to Turkey, Black Sea, Malta, Tunisia, Sardinia, Corsica , the Rhone, Moselle, Rhine, Masse, Calais and Dover.

We spent Christmas in: Barcelona, Salamina, Los Christianos, Charleston, Puerto Rico, Bonaire, Wangarei, Bundesburg, Melbourne, Singapore, Phuket, Poros and Monastare.

The Scottish area held their winter dinner at the Alan Park Hotel in Stirling on Saturday 15^th March. Those who attended were: Harry and Margaret Causer, Ken and Diane Scaiffe, John and Wendy Tedd, and Stuart and Mari Wilson. Retired members Jack and Maureen Meredith came along with their son Matthew. A very pleasant evening was had by everyone catching up with gossip and exchanging stories.

The Netherlands branch of the ROA started in 1978, so we existed 30 years in 2008! We will celebrate this fact with a meeting in Rotterdam on Saturday 19th April 2008 together with former members of our club. Other ROA members are welcome too.

The evening will start at 1700 hours with a circular trip in of Rotterdam harbour. After which, at 1830 hours, we will enjoy a Chinese meal on a boat restaurant nearby.

Please contact Jannie Clement for more details if you plan to come, at jclement@casema.nl.

Our end of summer meeting will be on 27/28 September 2008 in Amsterdam, Sixhaven; details will follow.

The task of coordinating the West Country group (somewhat akin to herding cats, according to Michael!) is being taken over from Michael Smith by Terry Williams (R34 Rival Spirit). Terry can be contacted at terry.williams@novartis.com For 2008, the start-of-season meet will be in Salcombe on the 10th May and the autumn meet will be in Fowey on the 27^th September

Having been circulated previously, were presented for acceptance. Acceptance was proposed by Barbara Jones, seconded by John Harrison and approved unanimously.

Jane reported that there were still very few articles for the Roundup, but nonetheless she intended to issue it early in the Spring. However there were still a couple of weeks to get one in. She also pointed out that with such a small field of candidates she was unable to award the Peter Brett Trophy.

Jane reported that she had progressed her action regarding the Association’s acquisition of drawings from former RIVAL builders and that she had received a large bundle from Falmouth.. She was still pursuing Rampart Yachts of Southampton.

Regarding the updating of the boats’ stability curves she had made no further progress.

Membership now stood at 265 and although our finances were in a good state more members would always be welcome. She pointed out that we had a “flyer” for putting on RIVALS. If anyone thought that they could recruit new members using this method to please contact the Hon Sec for a supply. (Liz Hammick and Mark Scott, and James Pickford asked for some at the meeting)

The pictures that Jane was selling of WILD RIVAL meeting the ultimate wave were going well. All proceeds were being given to the RNLI.

ITEM 4: ACCOUNTS

TOTAL ASSETS @ 30.9.2007 (Current A/C, Access Plus A/C & Shares) = £12797.83

1. Shares: These decreased in value by £735.00; total increase since issue in April 1997 is £647.50.

3. Functions subsidies: It was decided at last year’s AGM to reinstate the subsidy of £5 per head. The cost of this for 2006-07 amounted to £602.01

There was a discussion regarding our apparent healthy financial state. Marjorie quickly stated that any reduction in the subscription would lead to administrative chaos. Rob Johnson raised the question as to how much the North American sub should be in view of fluctuating exchange rate and it was agreed that $US25 would cover the situation.

Marjorie further pointed out that we had not issued so many publications, which had saved a lot of money. In addition there had been no draw down on the funds allocated at the last AGM for the acquisition of Rival working drawings, and the production of stability curves.

It was confirmed that the subsidy for Association Officers attending the AGM should continue to have the Dinner at half price. Further more it was suggested that, on a year by year, basis a lump sum be provided to defray travelling expenses for those officers that came from far afield.

It was suggested from the floor that we should reinstate the issue of free burgees to new members. This was agreed.

Jane reported that there had been two offers to take up the Webmaster slot and one for the Honorary Secretary. After discussions with the members concerned it had been agreed that the two jobs could be combined and that our West Country VP, Michael Smith would be taking up both tasks for the next 2/3 years. The other candidate Nick Fox would be standing by to assist as necessary. The Hon Sec job would be transferred in late March 2008 after the issue of the next Newsletter and Members’ List.

Michael Smith said that Terry Williams (R34 RIVAL SPIRIT) had volunteered to take over as West Country VP.

Therefore the following were elected unopposed to be the officers for the following year.

Les Morison has arranged a dinner as usual in Stirling for the Scottish Group on 15 March, but he needed at least 12 people otherwise he would have to cancel.

Eric Orme has arranged a pub lunch at the Suffolk Yacht Harbour, Levington for the East Coast Group, for March 1^st.

a) The Hon Sec reported that the Association’s sponsoring member at the East India Club had passed away. Fortunately another acquaintance had stepped in for this year and hopefully future years. However perhaps the Association should look for an alternative venue.

b) It was suggested that with the congestion charge hours being set half an hour earlier the start of the AGM should be moved back to the original start time of 18.30. It was pointed out that that would make it more difficult for the workers to arrive in time. It was decided to leave the start at 18.45

c) The President proposed a vote of thanks for the out going Honorary Secretary and his Secretary (David and Barbara Jones). This was seconded by Michael Smith and passed unanimously.

d) The Newsletter Editors (Sam and Mags) proposed to drop the SEPTEMBER Newsletter due to the lack of input etc. The President was reluctant to endorse this proposal until some other method was in place e.g. a “blog” on the net. It was proposed that the new Hon. Sec. would instigate this as a priority bearing in mind that not all members were connected to the internet.

Bill Tulloch	R36 RAGNA	Stromness
Alisdair Johnson	R32 MIDNIGHT DRIFTER	Rothsay
Graham Markaey	R32 RUFFNREADY	Hull Marina
David Hunter	R38 FLYING RIVAL	Port Napoleon, France
Chris Cowlard	R31 ROULETT of EXE	Hoo Medway
Ron and Claire Strong	R32 SHERIDAN	Plymouth
Stuart Shaw	R41 BORDER RIVAL	Milford Haven
Rob and Becky Coope	R32 MOSHULU	Loch creran